Refrigerant wrap for an animal{40 s limb

ABSTRACT

A device adapted to wrap around an animal&#39;&#39;s limb such as one leg of a horse and containing a refrigerant to allay fever, relieve pain and reduce inflammation into that limb or leg. The refrigerant wrap includes a plurality of refrigerant cells held side by side into a series of adjoining pockets interspaced by fold lines for simple manufacturing and to evenly wrap around the limb or leg for relatively uniform cooling treatment around the latter. The refrigerant wrap includes attachment bands of the Velcro type particularly suited for non-annoying and adjustable attachment of the wrap, such as for instance around the leg of a horse. The refrigerant wrap preferably also includes a wire mesh to be at least partially shapable according to the concerned limb to evenly surround the latter and more securely hold into place.

United States Patent [191 Pilotte [451 .lu1y9,1974

[ REFRIGERANT WRAP FOR AN ANIMAL'S LIMB [76] lnventor: Roland Pilotte,6387 38th Ave.,

Rosemont, Quebec, Canada 22 Filed: Feb.6, 1973 211 Appl. No.: 330,030

[52] US. Cl. 128/379, 128/403 [51] Int. Cl A6ln 5/00 [58] Field ofSearch 128/399, 402, 403, 254,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1969 McDonald 128/4036/1971 Walker 128/402 Primary ExaminerLawrence W. Trapp [57 ABSTRACT Adevice adapted to wrap around an animals limb such as one leg of a horseand containing a refrigerant to allay fever, relieve pain and reduceinflammation into that limb or leg. The refrigerant wrap includes aplurality of refrigerant cells held side by side into a series ofadjoining pockets interspaced by fold lines for simple manufacturing andto evenly wrap around the limb or leg for relatively uniform coolingtreatment around, the latter. The refrigerant wrap includes attachmentbands of the Velcro type particularly suited for non-annoying andadjustable attachment of the wrap, such as for instance around the legof a horse. The refrigerant wrap preferably also includes a wire mesh tobe at least partially shapable according to the concerned limb to evenlysurround the latter and more securely hold into place.

9 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PAIENIEBM 91914 382.705

' SHEET 1 [If 2 1 REFRIGERANT WRAP FOR AN ANIMALS LIMB This inventionrelates to a refrigerant device more particularly of the type forcooling treatment of an animal, including a human being.

Among the refrigerant devices of the above type which have so far beenproposed, this is concerned with those of the kind which wraps around ananimals limb. Each of the refrigerant devices of the above kind formsonly one or two refrigerant chambers and they are thus relativelydifficult to wrap around an animals limb to evenly follow the contourthereof and, therefore, do not produce even cooling around the limb.Besides, the anterior refrigerant devices of the above kind are ofrelatively complex construction, since the fluid and airtight chambersfor the refrigerant are integrally formed therein and thus special caremust be taken to ensure the desired tightness.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a refrigerant wrap ofthe above kind which is adapted to allay fever, relieve pain and reduceinflammation into an animals limb and, in particular, into one leg of ahorse by wrapping the same around that limb or leg;

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a refrigerantwrap of the above kind which is constructed of separate slenderrefrigerant cells held side by side into a series of adjoining pocketsforming fold lines between each other for easier manufacturing anduniform wrapping and for more even cooling action around the limb or legof the animal.

It is another object of the invention to provide a refrigerant wrap ofthe above kind which includes a mode of attachment thereof to affordfast and easy attachment particularly suited and advantageous to securethe wrap around the leg of an animal or horse without substantiallyannoying the latter and which allows adjustment to the size of thecorresponding leg.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a refrigerationwrap of the above kindwith attachment bands of the Velcro type for fast,easy and adjustable attachment of the wrap into operative positionaround one leg of an animal such as a horse. It is a further object ofthe invention to provide a re frigerant wrap of the above kind which isshapable at least partially according to one limb to more evenlysurround the latter and thus more uniformly cool the same and to moresecurely hold around the same.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to theembodiments thereof which are illustrated, by way of example only in theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a horse;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of one leg of a horse with a refrigerantwrap according to the invention in the process of being mounted thereon;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of a refrigerant wrap operatively attachedaround one leg of a horse;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views as seen along lines 44 and 5-5respectively in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view as seen along line 6-6 in FIG. 4;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are side and end views respectively of a refrigerant wrapaccording to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view as seen along line 99 in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view as seen along line 10-10 in FIG.'9.

The horses, and in particular the racing horses, are subject toinflammation, fever and pain into their legs I and more specificallyinto the cannon or shank portion of the latter.

The illustrated refrigerant wrap includes a pair of outer flexiblesheets 2,3, of fabric or other suitable material, forming the inner andouter sides respectively of the wrap. The two flexible sheets 2, 3 aresewn around the periphery and by a series of laterally spaced-apartseams 4 extending from one to the other of two opposite edges 5 of thesheets. The above seams thus define a series of side-by-side slenderpockets and form fold lines interspacing the latter.

A slender or tubular bag 6 containing a suitable chemical refrigerant isinserted into each slender pocket. A plurality of sealed, liquid-tightand separate bags of refrigerant 7 are thus laterally spaced from eachother and extend transversely of the wrapping direction. The chemicalrefrigerant may be, for example, of the type used in the well knownrefrigerating packs known in the trade under the trademark Ice-pak."

A shapable wire mesh 8 is preferably inserted with a layer 9 ofinsulating material intermediate the tubular refrigerant bags 6 and theouter sheet 3. The wire mesh allows to shape the wrap according to theconcerned limb or leg for more even cooling around the latter and tobetter hold the wrap in place.

Bands or straps 10 are secured at one end to the outer sheet 3 and havetheir outer end provided with complementary Velcro bands or material 11of sufficient length to allow adjustable attachment of the straps 10around the limb.

The seam along the upper edge 5 of the wrap might be replaced by a slidefastener or zipper to allow easy access into the afore-mentioned slenderpockets, whereby the bags could be removed at will for cleaning theouter sheets 2, 3 of the wrap and, if desired, to remove the refrigerantbags 6 to cool and even freeze the latter. I

I claim:

l. A refrigerant wrap for an animals limb comprising, in combination, apair of sheets of flexible material secured together face to face alongspaced lines extending from one to the other of opposite edges of saidsheets and forming corresponding fold lines, and along another lineextending along one of said edges, said lines of securement of saidsheets forming a series of laterally juxtaposed slender refrigerantpockets, a plurality of slender chemical refrigerant bags extendinglengthwise into said slender refrigerant pockets respectively, andfastening means secured to at least one of said sheets of flexiblematerial and arranged to secure said sheets in wrapped position aroundsaid limb with said bags extending lengthwise of said limb.

2. A refrigerant wrap as defined in claim 1, wherein said slenderchemical refrigerant bag constitute fluidtight tubular bags containing achemical refrigerant.

3. A refrigerant wrap as defined in claim 2, wherein said sheets aresecured together by seams extending along said lines of securement.

4. A refrigerant wrap as defined in claim 3, further including anotherseam securing said sheets together along the other of said oppositeedges and confining said sealed tubular bags between said sheets.

having said sheets forming an aperture extending along the other of saidopposite edges in communication with said pockets.

8. A refrigerant wrap as defined in claim 7, further including areleasable fastener secured along said aperture for selective closing ofthe latter.

9. A refrigerant wrap as defined in claim 8, wherein said releasablefastener constitutes a zipper.

1. A refrigerant wrap for an animal''s limb comprising, in combination, a pair of sheets of flexible material secured together face to face along spaced lines extending from one to the other of opposite edges of said sheets and forming corresponding fold lines, and along another line extending along one of said edges, said lines of securement of said sheets forming a series of laterally juxtaposed slender refrigerant pockets, a plurality of slender chemical refrigerant bags extending lengthwise into said slender refrigerant pockets respectively, and fastening means secured to at least one of said sheets of flexible material and arranged to secure said sheets in wrapped position around said limb with said bags extending lengthwise of said limb.
 2. A refrigerant wrap as defined in claim 1, wherein said slender chemical refrigerant bag constitute fluid-tight tubular bags containing a chemical refrigerant.
 3. A refrigerant wrap as defined in claim 2, wherein said sheets are secured together by seams extending along said lines of securement.
 4. A refrigerant wrap as defined in claim 3, further including another seam securing said sheets together along the other of said opposite edges and confining said sealed tubular bags between said sheets.
 5. A refrigerant wrap as defined in claim 4, further including a shapable wire mesh sheet and an insulating layer secured intermediate said pair of sheets of flexible material.
 6. A refrigerant wrap as defined in claim 5, wherein said fastening means incLudes complementary Velcro bands cooperatively secured to said one sheet of flexible material and arranged to adjustably roll said refrigerant wrap around an animal''s limb.
 7. A refrigerant wrap as defined in claim 1, further having said sheets forming an aperture extending along the other of said opposite edges in communication with said pockets.
 8. A refrigerant wrap as defined in claim 7, further including a releasable fastener secured along said aperture for selective closing of the latter.
 9. A refrigerant wrap as defined in claim 8, wherein said releasable fastener constitutes a zipper. 